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5.0 out of 5 starsGripping from beginning to end
First let me say that this book is nothing like Fifty First Dates; the main point being that this is a thriller not a comedy. If you were to compare it to a movie, Momento would be a better choice. Yes, it's another story involving amnesia but it's good.

I read this book in one sitting. The premise is rather simple but the way the story unfolds is completely...

3.0 out of 5 starsGood...but....
This book was beautifully written. It was quite interesting to read about amnesia and how it affects the lives of the victim and his/her family. I thought the book dragged on quite a bit however, I was waiting for something to happen, and had to wait until the very end. However, SJ Watson still kept readers somewhat interested with little hints here and there of what was...

I must say, I don't have a lot of time to read these days.This book just didn't let me put it down... I kept wondering what the catch was andit made me nuts! One can wonder what we are if not the sumof our experiences. What would you do if all you know is a lie?

This was a very different book from what I usually read. I read that book in 5 days while working full time. You just wanted to know more about her history and how she lost her memory. I strongly recommend this book, it is one of the best I have read this year!

This amazing book brought tears to my eyes. I could not stop - the suspense builds on and on. I completed the book in a day. Definitely recommends this book. The character has depth and the story has substance. Definitely an author to watch for.

After reading the first couple chapters of this novel, the voice of Christine, the main character, didn't ring true. Something was wrong. So, I turned to the inside of the back of the book and found out what was up. S.J. Watson is man, a fledgling author writing from a woman's perspective. While Wally Lamb was able to pull it off, S.J. didn't. A man needs strong feminist sensibilities to avoid stereotypical female characterization for the protagonist. I may have gotten over that except for the bland writing style and repetition. It is unnecessary to start the first umpteen chapters with Christine waking up every morning not knowing who she or the man sleeping beside her is. Twice would have been sufficient. While I understand the author's dilemma of how to show the horror of waking each day with twenty years missing, I just wanted the story to begin. As the end of the tale approached, I crossed my fingers with the hope that the climax would be a surprise. It wasn't. When I put the book down, I was relieved that I didn't have to read any more mechanical sentences. The novel was written as part of a novel writing course and it shows. What I find hard to believe is that the instructor didn't point out the danger of starting a novel with "waking", then continuing the mistake chapter after chapter. One other annoying thing for me was the lack of "place". The novel was set in London but it had no Britishness. Not one British phrase or word. Perhaps it was purposeful but I didn't like it. I understand this novel will be made into a movie and I suspect it will translate well into a screenplay and be marketed a taut thriller.

A pure psychological thriller (which I must admit is less to my taste, especially the psychological side ...) with a fluidity in the text. We inch in the story and the more we advance the more the suspense and tension build up to an end - although a little predictable - nonetheless very good.

At first I was scared to read the same thing constantly, as Christine forget all her days overnights. I thought that this would be yet another story of butterfly effect, seen and reviewed, but I was pleasantly surprised, because Watson arrives to help us understand the anguish of a woman who wakes up every morning not knowing who is man beside her, without telling us the same thing. He adds every day a detail, a fact, an anecdote that allows us to understand the story of Christine, almost at the same time (almost because as we do not forget ... we - almost - are one step ahead anyway)!

The main character, Christine, is very well written, not too hysterical despite her condition, not too naive either, rather she is an intelligent woman who is looking for answers to her story without blindly believing what people tell her. The relationships between the characters are very realistic, there are no frills. I was really surprised to know that the author is a man considering how he writes and the accuracy in the transcription of the feelings and thoughts of Christine: there is a real feminine sensibility in the writing, which made me think that the author is a woman.

In a nutshell

Amateurs of psychological thriller, this book is for you! It fully deserves its price and for a first novel, S. J. Watson hits hard, it must be said. I give it a 3/5, mainly because I have a harder time hanging on with psychological thrillers.

My thoughts on closing the book: by Jove, I do not like this kind of ending!(Originally posted at vanessa-s-bookshelves.blogspot.ca)

I read this book because of a recommendation from a girl at work. It was apparently the best book she ever read. I absolutely HAD to read it. I would love it. If it wasn't for the ending, I wouldn't have liked this book at all.

It's about a woman who has the type of brain injury that prevents her from creating short-term memories. It's an interesting topic. I loved the movies 50 First Dates and Memento which both had the main character experiencing this phenomenon, one being light-hearted and the other extremely serious. However, it's one thing watching this and another to read about it. Not sadly, but confusingly and monotonously. The same details over and over as she starts each new day. Sometimes the details change, or her reaction to everything changed, and you had no idea what was really going on. Usually this is fun, like in Groundhog Day, but not so much here. It ended well...all was made clear, but it was a painful process to get there.

I wouldn't tell someone not to read it, it wasn't bad but in my opinion this would be a much better movie. Too bad it's been done before.

This is a real page turner.I couldn't put it down and Christine's story would haunt me during the day as I longed to escape back to my read. This story is a tale that sticks... It stays with you.At first light, the story draws you into a world that seems new, and somewhat out of focus. Christine and Ben seem like the love stories we dream of. A man who stands by his woman day in and day out, battling through the pain of her not even knowing his name each morning. But the story quickly starts to form shadows where the reader has to ask if all is as it seems. The reader is tossed with Christine back and forth between light and darkness.Can you predict it? Would you dare to predict the lines of this story? I truly doubt that your love for Christine will allow it. Read this book and see for yourself.

Before I Go To Sleep is told in first person narration in the perspective of a middle-aged woman, named Christine, who had an accident many years ago (22 years ago, I believe) and since has not been able to hold onto her memory for more than one day. She wakes up each day without any knowledge of where she is, how old she is, or what happened to her. All she has is her husband to remind her of everything.

I thought the story was very good. The concept is similar to the movie, 50 First Dates, which is what initially caught my interest for this book. However, it is nothing like that movie. It is mysterious, suspenseful, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Seriously, I could not put it down for the last 100 pages. I NEEDED to keep reading to find out what happened. It seemed as though I was physically incapable of putting it down, because there were other things I had planned on doing with my time. But, no dice. I had to finish the book first!

Everything about this book was very well-done. The story was great and captivating. The characters were well-developed and it was extremely easy to identify and connect with Christine all throughout her journey. The writing was also very good, with excellent story-telling. I was hooked from the first page. I will definitely keep my eye out for more work from Watson! I would highly recommend this book to fans of the genre. I can't seem to find any faults with the novel at all. Oh, plus it's turning into a movie starring Nicole Kidman -- reportedly to hit theatres next year!